Last October, the U.S. took two country gold medals at the Goldwell Global Zoom 2015 in Las Vegas. Harley LoBasso of Hair by Scott & Company (Delray Beach, FL) won for Best Creative Colorist and Corinne Brown of Salon Circa (Seattle, WA) won as Best Partner Colorist. Brown offered some thoughts on how to create a stellar submission and why every stylist could benefit from going for the gold.

MS: What made you decide to put in the time and effort to create a Color Zoom submission?

CB: First off, I decided to enter the Color Zoom challenge because the Traditional Rebel Collection ruled. Piercings and dusty colors? Yes, please! Second, I'm extremely competitive by nature and a friend of mine who lives in a very remote part of my home state placed third in the creative category the year before me. Because she was able to place I felt like anything was possible.

MS: Did you have people around you that were supportive of your efforts? Your salon team, a mentor?

CB: I was absolutely supported. I tell people all the time that I wouldn't have been successful on my own. It took a team of people. One of my coworkers spent several Sundays with me timing my practice run-throughs and helping me figure out ways to cut time and look more professional at the Vegas competition. Another friend collaborated with the owner of the beauty school I attended (in a totally different city across the state) to send me a box full of mannequin heads to practice on. Right and left, people were coming out of the wood work to help me be successful. Both of the salons I have worked at in my careers attended Color Zoom to cheer me on.

MS: Do you think someone can put a photo shoot together on a limited budget?

CB: I don't believe you can put together a quality photoshoot on a limited budget unless you are very well networked. I was fortunate enough to take a Color Zoom prep class taught by Michelle Pargee. The class was three days long and it included trend explanation, prep time, all the color I needed, a makeup artist, a photo shoot and one image. I found that to be the more cost effective use of my money. If you're going to enter a competition like this I think people should know it’s an investment of time and money. If your budget is low don't skimp on the photographer because the picture is what gets you in the door.

MS: What is the one thing you feel you did absolutely right and what is something you would do differently?

CB: What I think I did right was being very flexible with my concept and once I placed I practiced, practiced, practiced. By the time I reached competition I had memorized my look like a dancer memorizes a choreographed dance, plus I wore comfy shoes. As far as what I would change? I think I would have told myself to breathe more often and sleep more.

MS: Do you think it’s important for hairdressers to challenge themselves in this way?

CB: I think hairdressers absolutely need to challenge themselves. We as professionals need to challenge ourselves to grow and to take risks. I feel like I grew leaps and bounds in the process of Color Zoom and had I played it safe by not entering I wouldn't have experienced that growth. I think whether it’s submitting to a photographic competition like Color Zoom or trying out the new color technique that scares you as an artist, you should risk doing it.

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